OUCH!

Geriatric grandmothers
Skating across the pitted surface
Of a hockey arena
My friend took lessons
In her younger years
She attempts the bunny hop
And even fancier manoeuvres
I glide carefully on dull figure skates
Never could get used to those darned pics
We wore tube skates on frozen ponds
With deep cracks
Patches of snow
And clumps of grass
Falling was a big part of the fun
Now I brave the distance from
The boards to center ice
Go slowly over the bumpy area
By the goal post and around the bend
To where the ice is smoother
Away I go, faster now!
My friend approaches
Third time around for her
She waves and I wave back
My pic catches an indentation in the ice
I wobble precariously
Mustn’t fall, I tell myself
Could break bones at my age
Can’t stop toppling
I hope desperately
That my body’s intact
Thanks be to God, it is
But it hurts
Ouch!